Sole.



- Patntad 1an. 29, |901. J. KEATS.

SOLE.

(Application Bleil Aug. 21. 1897.)

No., 666,87l.

(No M odel.)

Wnewex- I gw@ 1% 2 Sheets-Sheet l Wm/C Patented 1an. 29, |90I.

No. 666,87l.

S 0 L E (Application lsd Aug. 21, l1897.)

2 Sheets-Shanxi 2.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT flfEEicE.

JOHN KEATS, OF. BAGNALL, ENGLAND.

SOLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 666,871, dated January 29, 1901.

Application filed August 21, 1897. Serial No. 649,045. tNo model.)

To @ZZ whom t muy concern.:

Be it known that I, JOHN KEATS, of Bagnall, near Stoke-onTrent, Staordshire, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to the Securing of Uppers to the Insoles or Soles of Boots and Shoes, of which the following is a specification, and for which there have been granted in France Brevet dInvention No. 255,626,dated April 17, 1896, in Germany Patent No. 94,247, dated Jn ne 2l, 1896, and in Great Britain Patent No. 14,752, dated July 3, 1896.

The object of this invention is to facilitate the manufacture of boots and shoes of a highclass character in point of form and construction and whether made by hand or machinery.

The soles of my improved boots and shoes I construct of leather, felt, or' other suitable material, and instead of channeling the sole or insole, as heretofore, to receive the stitches I shape around the contour of the sole, at some distance from the edge thereof, (on the flesh side when leather is used,) a rib to receive the stitches which are to secure the upper to the sole, or, in the case of welt-boots, the welt also. This contour rib on the sole or insole serves as a guide in lasting the upper. This advantage is due to the rib being made a true distance from the edge of the sole and high enough for the operator to place the edge of his upper against and on a level therewith. The rib also serves as a wall for the workman to pull his upper up to and secure a proper position with relation to the sole. The necessity is therefore in great part removed for employing highly-skilled labor in eecting the operation of lasting.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a cross-section of an ordinary felt sole before being operated upon in accordance with myinvention; Fig. 2, a crosssection of the same sole after the production of the rib thereon. Fig. 3 shows a leather pump-sole in cross-section before the production of the rib. Fig. 4 shows the rib formed on the edge of the pump-sole by pressure, and Fig. 5 shows the connection of the pump-sole with the upper by stitching while the upper is on the last. Fig..6 shows in cross-section the form of inner leather sole to be used with a welt, the edges being chamfered and a horizontal slit made in the chamfered part to famade of felt, as follows: I rub into the sole a, Fig. 1, on that side where I require the marginalguiding-rib, sufflcientstarch or thin paste to saturate that part, and when dry I mold or otherwise shape, by means of pressure, the guiding-rib a', (see Fig. 2,) using for that purpose suitably-shaped heated irons or tools. When preparing pump-soles or inner soles of leather, I meisten the leather, as ashoemaker usually does, before working the same; but in lieu of channelingA or cutting a groove, as is usual, I press a wedge-shaped tool into the edge horizontally and against a cone-shaped tool, which presses vertically and bends up the liesh side thereof, which I mold or shape into a guiding-rib, as shown at Fig. 4, or I slit the chamfered sole a near its edge, as shown at Fig. 6, and by direct lateral pressure on the part above the slit, not by bending it up, I form the guiding-rib a', as shown at Fig. 7. By this means I so compress that part of the esh side of the leather where the rib occurs that it becomes more solid and compact than the rest of the sole. Thus when stitches are putinto the marginal rib or guideline to secure the upper to the sole, as at Fig. 5, which represents a finished shoe, or the upper and welt to the inner sole, as shown at Figs. 8 and 9, the seam becomes firm and practically waterproof, because when exposed in wear to moisture that part of the leather forming the rib naturally expands and tightens the stitches, whether of hand or machine sewing.

Referring now to Fig. 9, which represents the finished welt-boot, a is the rib on the insole a, connected to the upper b and welt e by stitches c, passing through the rib and lthrough these parts, and to the welt e is attached, in the usual manner, the outer sole f. gis afiliing-piece laid between the insole et and outer sole f. By the examination of this figure it will be readily understood how my system of IOO manufacture conduces to the solidity and Waterproof character of boots and shoes, the seam being firm and undeviating from the line described by the raised rib.

For vforming the rib on or near the edge of a leather Sole the tongs shown in Fig. l0 may be used. The gripping-surfaces of these tongs are so disposed thatl they grip the leather over its edge with their rounded-off ends, While another lever-like jaw, pivotcd on one of the jaws of the tongs, is pressed direct against the edge of theinsole to force up the rib from that portion projecting inward between the jaws.

It will be understood that any desired sec- JOHN KEATS.

Witnesses:

EDWARD P. MAOLEAN, FINLEY P. MCGUIRE. 

